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Post by Josh Parsley on Jan 2, 2006 17:44:45 GMT -5
What does everyone think about the use of tracts that look or resemble money? I've been rebuked by a Christian saying its using the world's wisdom to attract them... This guy was a Mennonite (which I have no problem with). It was one of the first time I seen him on the street. He holds signs. At first he thought I wasn't really a Christian, just a false convert. After he has heard me OA preach he acted totally different. I assume he changed his opinion.
Then a non- believer said something similar to me about it. He said that I was using money (a bad thing) to spread the "Good Word."
What does everyone think?
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Post by Kerrigan on Jan 2, 2006 19:20:39 GMT -5
Personally I don't see any problem with using "money tracts." Jesus said to be "shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16 NASB) Jesus also said that the World either loves Him or Money. So you give them the Gospel even though they think they are getting their real God (for many of them anyway), money.
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Post by Miles Lewis on Jan 2, 2006 20:03:03 GMT -5
Is money a bad thing? I think not, it is the love of money that is the root of evil. Jesus used a Roman coin to springboard into the gospel, I see no problem using all means to reach some. Set your face as a flint and serve the Lord. Everyone is a critic.
"You can please all the people some of the time, some of the people all the time, but never all the people all the time."
Miles
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Post by Travis M Chapman on Jan 2, 2006 22:05:30 GMT -5
I think they are humorous and open up conversation to share the gospel.
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Post by Josh Parsley on Jan 3, 2006 12:10:18 GMT -5
Money is not a bad thing. What that guy was saying ( I should have clarified) is that people love money and using that love to spread a good thing was wrong. Of course I really didn't put much stock into what he said. I passed out many more after talking to him. I feel no conviction that is it wrong about passing them out. I was just wondering what others thought.
It is true "everyone is a critic." Many of the critics are ones who won't do anything, just sit and tell you what is wrong.
What about giving away real money, as some do to draw a crowd? I've tried it once and it didn't work. I've had better luck at drawing a crowd by just preaching. I not against it, just wondering what some thoughts are on it.
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Post by Miles Lewis on Jan 3, 2006 21:40:41 GMT -5
As far as giving away money to draw a crowd, I'm not really against it, but I am drawn less and less to it. I'd rather not use gimmicks, but it can be very effective. I would say Ray Comfort may have started it, and he has had great success and still does. I primarily started out doing open air the same way. I think of it as a way to get peoples' attention and also to make great illustrations. Typically what happens is that people come for money and then they leave, by the end you might have a couple people still listening. I'm not too enthusiastic about giving away more money so that people don't leave... The way I see it, if they won't stay to hear the gospel, then why keep them there at all. Giving away money can be a good way to get things rolling though, if the crowd is handled correctly, with skill, you can hold a crowd's attention for quite a while. The key is to be engaging. But lately I have found that you can be engaging without giving away money and the crowd that comes, stays. I likely won't forsake giving away money to draw a crowd, but I am feeling less inclined to do it that way. I can't really find any scripture to back up giving away money to draw a crowd, but Jesus did feed multitudes and lots came. But just like now, once the word was preached in truth, the numbers dwindled. I have had both kinds of reactions to giving away money, some people loved it and thought it was a creative way to preach and get attention and others hated it... Typically those who hated it though, really hated the messege.
Miles
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Post by Kerrigan on Jan 3, 2006 23:27:47 GMT -5
As far as giving away money to draw a crowd, I'm not really against it, but I am drawn less and less to it. I'd rather not use gimmicks, but it can be very effective. I likely won't forsake giving away money to draw a crowd, but I am feeling less inclined to do it that way. I have been starting to feel the same way....plus us preachers aren't exactly the richest people in the world!
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Post by Jeffrey Olver on Jan 5, 2006 14:10:30 GMT -5
Jesus instructed his disciples to be as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves.
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